Pain and Clinical Presentation: A Cross-Sectional Study of Patients with New-Onset Chronic Pain in Long-COVID-19 Syndrome

Andrés Calvache-Mateo; Laura López-López; Javier Martín-Núñez; Alejandro Heredia-Ciuró; María Granados-Santiago; Araceli Ortiz-Rubio; Marie Carmen Valenza

doi:10.3390/ijerph20054049

Pain and Clinical Presentation: A Cross-Sectional Study of Patients with New-Onset Chronic Pain in Long-COVID-19 Syndrome

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 24;20(5):4049. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20054049.

Authors

Andrés Calvache-Mateo¹, Laura López-López¹, Javier Martín-Núñez¹, Alejandro Heredia-Ciuró¹, María Granados-Santiago², Araceli Ortiz-Rubio¹, Marie Carmen Valenza¹

Affiliations

¹ Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain.
² Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of pain (i.e., pain intensity, pain interference, clinical presentation) in Long-COVID-19 patients and compare the location of pain between successfully recovered COVID-19 patients and healthy matched controls. A cross-sectional case-control study was carried out. Long-COVID-19 patients, age- and sex-matched patients with a history of COVID-19 who had successfully recovered, and healthy controls were included. Outcomes included were pain characteristics (Brief Pain Inventory and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire) and clinical presentation (Widespread Pain Index and Euroqol-5 Dimensions 5 Levels Visual Analogue Scale). Sixty-nine patients with Long-COVID-19 syndrome, sixty-six successfully recovered COVID-19 patients, and sixty-seven healthy controls were evaluated. Patients with Long-COVID-19 syndrome showed greater pain intensity and interference. In addition, they showed worse quality of life and greater widespread pain, with the most frequent locations of pain being the neck, legs, and head. In conclusion, patients with Long-COVID-19 syndrome show a high prevalence of pain, characterized by widespread pain of moderate intensity and interference, with the most frequent locations being the neck, legs, and head, significantly affecting the quality of life of these patients.

Keywords: long-COVID-19 syndrome; new-onset pain; pain characteristics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Case-Control Studies
Chronic Pain*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
Quality of Life

Grants and funding

The author A.C.-M. has received financial support through a FPU (“Formación Profesorado Universitario”) grant (FPU:19/02609) from the Spanish Ministry of Education. The author A.H.-C. has received financial support through a FPU (“Formación Profesorado Universitario”) grant (FPU: 20/01670) from the training of university faculty from the University of Granada. The author J.M.-N. has received financial support through a FPU (“Formación Profesorado Universitario”) grant (FPU: 21/00451) from the training of university faculty from the University of Granada. This study was financed by the College of Physiotherapists of Andalucia, Proyect Ref: 06195/21D/MA.